The present invention relates to a digging apparatus and pertains particularly to an apparatus for digging clams and the like.
The digging of clams, bait, and the like is normally carried out by means of a shovel and a bucket. A shovel is normally satisfactory for digging clams and certain items but is unsatisfactory for digging of certain other items such as blood worms and the like for bait. The digging of worms with a shovel frequently results in the worms being cut or chopped up without recovering the entire worm.
Clam digging devices have been proposed in the past wherein a cylindrical barrel having an open end for forcing into the sand is provided with a closed end with a closable vent hole for establishing a vacuum when being withdrawn. Exemplary of these devices are illustrated in the following U.S. Pat. Nos.: 2,802,689, issued Aug. 13, 1957 to Batstone; 3,089,721, issued May 14, 1963 to Puckett; and 4,244,614, issued Jan. 13, 1981. These have been satisfactory in many instances. However, improvements in construction and operation are desirable.